The present invention relates to gun racks for pickup trucks and, more particularly, to such a rack including a pivotally connected bracket to facilitate attaching such a rack to an irregular surface.
Gun racks are often mounted inside the rear windows of pickup trucks by hunters and other shooters to provide a safe place to carry long or shoulder firearms such as rifles, carbines, shotguns, and the like in such a vehicle. Such racks generally include a vertical member having its ends attached to sheet metal of the cab of the pickup truck above and below the rear window and one or more gun support cradle members extending from the vertical member to receive one end of a firearm, such as the pistol grip or forearm or barrel of such a firearm. Some types of racks are adapted for mounting in the framework or insulation structure supporting the rear window of a pickup. Normally, the racks are used in pairs to support the ends of a firearm.
Because firearms mounted on a rack in the rear window of a pickup truck are visible, they are vulnerable to theft. Thus, it is desirable for such gun racks to be capable of being locked, for the rack structures to be sturdy, and for the racks to be securely attached to structure within the pickup cab. Hunters often drive their vehicles on unimproved rural roads, and often off-road. Because of this, the rack structures also need to be sturdy enough to retain firearms supported thereon and remain attached to the cab structure when the vehicle is driven over rough terrain. Separation of the guns from the rack or of the racks with guns thereon could be hazardous to the driver and any passenger, as well as damaging to the firearms.
Most types of gun racks are designed to be attached to cab structure in a laterally oriented vertical plane. There are many small and middle size pickup trucks, and even some full size pickups, in which the cab structure begins to curve forward immediately above the top of the rear window. Most types of gun racks are not well designed for attachment to cab structure of such a configuration. Racks which attach to the rear window insulation avoid this problem. However, attachment of gun racks to the rear window insulation, such as by sliding under the edge of the insulation, is generally not as secure as would be desired.